Federal DoubleTone Model 76A

Jack Ramsey

Jack Ramsey

Rebuilt/restored for customer's underhood installation on his recently restored '60's-vintage ambulance. "A" in the model number indicates "no brake", as evidenced by the hole at the 8 o'clock position in the rear of the stator. Ambulance's roof sports a Federal Model 173 3-sealed beam beacon with red dome. I'll not identify the owner without permission.
 
I've got two


I have one as pictured (not as pretty) and another one in a chrome housing that I just installed on my ALF pumper (see photos). This thing makes the hair on your arms stand up. The American LaFrance Bell complete with eagle is also a new installation. This truck had never had a mechanical siren or a bell.
 

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Kevin Lynch said:

I have one as pictured (not as pretty) and another one in a chrome housing that I just installed on my ALF pumper (see photos). This thing makes the hair on your arms stand up. The American LaFrance Bell complete with eagle is also a new installation. This truck had never had a mechanical siren or a bell.
Click to expand...

Kevin: I've got to agree whole-heartedly about the sound of the doubletone. I grew up hearing them on the Midland police cars. Theirs were also the underhood 76s.

In 1970 our REACT group's first-aid team was given the old '60 Chevy ambulance that had belonged to the racetrack where we worked. It came with a 77GB doubletone, just like the one on your engine. It had undergone some sort of repair work and had been outfitted with an oversized motor.
We ran it fender-mounted, and we got more comments about that siren than anything else we heard about. At that time the movie "2001 Space Odyssey" was playing, and the theater where it showed was right on the path where we'd have to come enroute to the ER. One of our members was a projectionist there, and one Friday got caught having to work rather than being with us. We ended up having to run to the ER, and just as we were coming that way the theater had broken for an intermission because of the long movie. My friend had just reached the lobby as we were approaching. I was driving and had let the 77G siren reach its peak just before the intersection. My friend told us all later that when that siren peaked it rattled the plate glass windows in that theater. Guess it did its job ok.!
 
Jack Ramsey said:
Rebuilt/restored for customer's underhood installation on his recently restored '60's-vintage ambulance. "A" in the model number indicates "no brake", as evidenced by the hole at the 8 o'clock position in the rear of the stator. Ambulance's roof sports a Federal Model 173 3-sealed beam beacon with red dome. I'll not identify the owner without permission.
Click to expand...

Very nice restoration, Jack. The computer I was using yesterday wouldn't let me get a full view. Is the vintage ambulance that this siren goes on a station wagon or coach?
 
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